The greatest moments in the history of Royal Enfield

We trace landmark moments in Royal Enfield’s history to get to the root of its appeal

For decades now, motorcycle enthusiasts have tried to decode the allure of Royal Enfield. Perhaps, the most analog bike in a digital world, the Bullet inspires camaraderie like few other motorcycles do. The Royal Enfield ownership experience is a complex one – often inherited or aspired to. It involves an appreciation of the more elemental aspects of a motorcycle, along with a fondness for tinkering with the machine (often unexpectedly). Royal Enfields have stoically thumped away in the face of an influx of power-dense, high-tech motorcycles, and yet, there’s no dethroning them as the ultimate coming-of-age machines.

To the naysayers their evolution might seem glacial, but true enthusiasts know the leaps Royal Enfield has taken towards staying contemporary, while retaining that classic charm that is indispensable to them. Here’s a look at the most pivotal moments in the history of one of the world’s oldest motorcycle makers.

Royal Enfield’s greatest milestones

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The beginning (1901)

Almost a decade after being founded, Royal Enfield produce their first ever motorcycle. Having dabbled in the business of small arms at the Royal Enfield Small Arms Factory, the company eventually went on to make quadricycles before producing their first 1.5 hp motorcycle with the engine mounted in front of the handlebars.

The birth of the Bullet (1932)

This is where the legend of the Bullet begins. Beginning life as a standard British-single available in 250cc, 350cc and 500cc engine variants, its stout-hearted thrum has been preserved across the century, tweaked and refurbished for multiple generations, none of which have been impervious to its charms. Not only is the Bullet an indispensable part of global motorcycling lore, it has been a lifeline for police and military officials who were the first ones to explore the outer edge of the country on the Bullet and truly test its limits.

The Eicher acquisition (1994)

It was 24 years after the British-owned Enfield Cycle company went bust that Eicher Motors stepped in for a takeover. Enfield India ltd had, up till then, continued to produce the Bullet without interruption; but Eicher’s acquisition of the now re-named Royal Enfield Motors Ltd led to unprecedented growth and diversification. As architects of the new Royal Enfield, Eicher ensured that the models eventually began using modern technology, marking the beginning of a new era in RE’s production history. Twenty-two years later, RE is now developing its very own, twin-cylinder motorcycle.

Enter the Thunderbird (2002)

The standard Bullet had been, because of its steady torque curve and its simple mechanical components, the go-to touring/cruising bike of the country, even though it hadn’t originally been designed for that purpose. So it made sense for the Eicher-owned Royal Enfield to launch what would be their first smashing success – the Thunderbird 350 – Royal Enfield’s very own cruiser with higher handlebars and a more relaxed riding position, which made it just as popular in the city as it was on the highways.

RE launches the Classic 350 and 500 (2009)

After the success of the Bullet Electra 350, it was time to further contemporize the RE brand by introducing more modern technology to the relatively unchanged architecture of their engines. The new retro-styled Classic 350 and 500 series used electronic fuel-injection and twin-spark technology along with lighter aluminium components to make a more sprightly Royal Enfield that was fit to take on international markets

The all-new Continental GT arrives (2013)

After their much-hyped acquisition of British performance racing outfit Harris Performance, Royal Enfield rolled out the new Continental GT café’ racer. With Harris Performance helping in the development of the chassis and the engine, RE produced their most powerful machine yet. The Conti GT is the fastest, slickest-looking bike yet.

Special Editions (2015 & 2016)

RE added a new range of motorcycling gear and apparel to go with their rugged, outdoorsy image. The portfolio expanded with RE’s successful ‘Despatch rider’ line which took inspiration from the dispatch riders of the Second World War who were invaluable in the service of war correspondence. A limited edition Classic 500 ‘Despatch rider’ version was also briefly available, succeeded by another limited edition Continental GT which was announced recently to commemorate RE’s fresh collaboration with Happy Socks.

The RE Himalayan is launched (2016)

A purpose-built, touring motorcycle built for an RE owners favourite haunt – the Himalayas. The lightweight, bare-bones Himalayan retains the trademark Royal Enfield ability to lug a decent amount of weight while offering more comfort, stability and power on properly challenging terrain. The off-road-tyred, jerry can-equipped Himalayan also comes with a fairly diverse catalogue of parts and accessories that can be retro-fitted to make your trek completely glitch free.